CHAPTER 85: CH 85: FUN.

They moved swiftly and finally arrived at the crime scene, evident by the perimeter the police had set already. But not for Nightwalker.

The crowds, journalists and new reporters all made way for the Paragon as soon as they saw him—completely ignoring Aegon and Mira behind him.

"Nightwalker! Nightwalker!" A new reporter stopped just in front of the yellow tape, mic in hand and cameraman following in suite. "Nightwalker, are you here to quickly end this robbery."

She’d scratched the spot. Nightwalker had a habit for ignoring reporters, unless they spoke fluently in ego stroking.

He stopped and turned to her with his signature smirk, his figure hulking over hers so much so she had to raise the mic to the full extent of her arm to reach his face.

"Nightwalker is here!" He said simply. "I’ll handle this in no time."

And the crowds cheered him immediately. To think such smile words could have such a great effect.

"And are these your new sidekicks?" She said, gesturing towards Aegon and Mira.

"Oh no. There’s from Aetherion Academy for the new Next Gen Program." He clarified.

Her arm then dropped as she moved the mic to Aegon. "Who are you and what’s your awakened title?"

"Uhmm..." He stuttered, a little taken back by her question. But before he could answer, Nightwalker grabs her mic. "We have a job to do."

He stirred ahead. The police officer quickly lifted the tape for him to pass.

He then followed Nightwalker and they walked. "It’s an honour to have you here, Mr Nightwalker."

He smiled at the officer. "Please, just Nightwalker... Is the hostage negotiator here yet?"

He nodded rapidly. "Yes. Just up ahead." He then returned to his position.

They continued to walk until they reached the negotiator as she was locked in a heated argument with the commissioner.

"Nightwalker?" She suddenly stopped as she saw his figure. "Didn’t know we were getting the Paragon today."

"You flatter me." He laughed briefly before facing the commissioner. "What’s going on?"

The man wasted no time before jumping right into things. "Fifteen suspects, about twenty hostages—seven are staff, while thirteen civilians.

We got the Aether scanner and it says that there’s a convergence of Aether in the building which means their guns are gonna pack a mean punch."

"What do they want?"

"They say they want an invisible jet—sonic speed and impossible to track. Plus they’re not letting anyone out for good faith... who are they?"

Nightwalker finally glances back at the two who’ve been walking with him for minutes. "Oh... they’re from Aetherion Academy."

The commissioner began shaking his head. "No. No. No. I made it very clear I was against the whole Next Gen program. They don’t even have licences."

Nightwalker dropped a hand on his shoulder. "Come on man. Just this once... for me."

"..." His eyes briefly darted to the duo, then back to Nightwalker. "Fine." He said with a sigh. "But if they get hurt that’s not on me."

"Yeah. Yeah." He addressed the two of them. "Follow me."

They obeyed. Walking behind him until, ~BAM!~ he thrusts into the air and after one arc lifts them along with him until they land atop the bank.

The two shook lightly, still a little disoriented from the abrupt lift. As he grabs the door handle and hurls the door into the sky.

He then proceeded down the stairs.

Aegon could already hear the robbers’ heavy footsteps and the hushed cries of the hostages as they descended.

They finally made it down to the main floor. "Alright!" Nightwalker announced loudly. "I’m here. So why don’t we all calm down and have a little chat—"

He stopped suddenly as the muzzle of a gun was pointed at his chin from a masked robber. "Get on your fucking knees!"

"Oh shit." Aegon muttered a little too loud, gaining a stare from Mira.

The rest of the robbers in the room—nine of them, had their guns aimed at the hostages in the corner.

The masked man nudged the gun closer to Nightwalker’s face, tilting his jaw. "I said on your—"

"I’m gonna ask that you kindly reconsider your words before you open your mouth again." His tone had completely changed.

"Are you deaf man?" He continued. "You need a bullet?" The barrel of his weird gun began to glow ominously.

~BAM!~

He fired it. Nightwalker took a step back as dust covered his face.

Then the eyes. Through the smoke his golden eyes gleamed brighter right before—

"ARRRGH!" The man’s screams were short-lived as Nightwalker’s heat vision gouged holes through his eyes.

Aegon shifted back slightly, a hand over Mira as he already knew where this was going.

"FIRE!!" Another robber screams as they opened fire on Nightwalker. Aegon guided Mira as they dove behind a counter.

A cacophony of blasts from the robbers’ guns echoed throughout the floor and they hid in place.

"What are you doing?" Mira argued as Aegon dragged her by the arm. "He could need us."

He placed a hand over her lips to shush her. Then moved a finger to his ear, a silent gesture—listen.

He was right. The floor had gone dead silent apart from the sniffles of hostages.

"..."

In the next second blood curdling screams resonated throughout the building as the robbers were being taken out—one after another.

Like a bullet Nightwalker would blast through the smoke, grab one’s arm and bend until it snapped.

To another he’d break their legs with a kick and watch them struggle to move at all. He moved faster than the eyes could follow yet the pain he inflicted was slow and precise.

As Aegon and Mira slowly lifted their heads to see what the commotion was about, it dawned on him. Nightwalker enjoyed the torment.

He could’ve ended this in seconds if he wanted to. The guns, although powerful were nothing when shot against a Paragon.

From the way he annihilated the Vanguard to now this. It was clear, Nightwalker was bored and this, to him was fun.

Before he could align his thoughts, the Paragon grabs a robber by the arms and flings him to the hostage corner—scattering them.

But now that he did there was no difference between the robbers and the hostages. There was the mask of course.

The robbers immediately hid behind a geoup of hostages and takes off his mask.

He placed the gun at the hostages neck as Nightwalker approached him. "I’ll kill him man. I swear I’ll kill him."

He laughed, a sincere one. His eyes began to glow in the way they did. "Let me help you."